Coming Home
by atsirc
Summary: When Alex asks Maggie what it was like to come out to her parents, the first thing that crosses Maggie's mind is 'Lie to her'; so she does.


When Alex asks Maggie what it was like to come out to her parents, the first thing that crosses Maggie's mind is _'Lie to her';_ so she does.

She tells Alex that her dad, although a little closed-minded, took it pretty well, and throws in that her mother took it similarly. She doesn't tell Alex the truth, because she's trying to convince her that it's okay to come out to Kara and Eliza, not shove her back into the closet indefinitely. So Maggie tells her what she thinks Alex needs to hear.

Maggie completely omits that, when she broke the news to her parents that she might like girls _in that way,_ her dad spit at her and her mom immediately pushed her (literally) out the front door. She doesn't mention that when she came around the next morning, thinking that maybe it would have blown over, she instead found a bag of clothes on the front porch with a note in her mom's handwriting: _'Don't bother coming back.'_ And when she had tried to dial any of her aunts or uncles or cousins, not a single one answered. She even received a text or two telling her to delete their number out of her phone.

She didn't receive any calls or texts after that. She found out later that her mother removed her from their phone plan.

Maggie can't tell Alex any of this, because what good would it do, anyway? Maggie knows that Alex's sister, little Danvers, will accept and support Alex no matter what. She can't imagine a different reaction. So she lies to Alex, for the first time in their friendship, and although lying to her makes Maggie feel sick, she knows she's doing the right thing.

—

Alex and Maggie's relationship becomes a little strained when Alex kisses her and Maggie lets her down gently. It's not that Maggie isn't interested in Alex - it's the farthest thing from the truth, actually. She is so interested in Alex that it terrifies her, and the only way she knows how to react to fear is to run. So she does.

She tells Alex that they're both in two completely different places, which is true. Alex is brand new to all of this, and Maggie has just had her heart broken by a girl she thought she might be able to settle down with. When Alex turns and walks away from her, she has to physically stop herself from chasing after her by gripping onto the pool table. She blinks away a few tears, drags herself to the bar instead, and orders a whiskey.

—

After a few weeks of radio silence on Alex's end, a slightly awkward run-in at the alien bar, and a confrontation in a parking garage, Maggie thinks she might have accidentally screwed things up. She isn't thinking clearly, and all she can focus on is the fact that Alex is her only friend in National City, so she pushes down the thoughts that tell her to just give Alex space. Twenty minutes later, she finds herself in front of Kara Danvers' apartment.

She asks for two minutes of Alex's time, and when Alex agrees, Maggie tries so hard to tell Alex how she feels. She ends up being half-honest instead; saying things like _'I hope one day you and I can be friends,'_ instead of _'I can't stop thinking about your lips.'_ Alex doesn't seem impressed with her words, though, and Maggie panics. She doesn't mean to, but she suddenly finds herself speaking the words _'I don't want to imagine my life without you in it,'_ because it's true and she is terrified that Alex won't understand just what she means to Maggie, that she will turn away and walk out of her life forever, and Maggie doesn't think she could handle that.

Alex does turn back towards the door without saying a word, and Maggie thinks that she really did completely ruin everything, that there isn't a chance in hell for her to ever find her way back into Alex's life, and she's devastated. But then Alex turns back to her, and Maggie hears her say _'Pool. Tomorrow night.'_ Maggie thinks she might burst at the seams, so all she can manage is a smile and a _'Wouldn't miss it.'_

—

When Alex comes out to Eliza on Thanksgiving, Eliza hugs her and says _'I only want you to be happy, Alex. Any girl would be lucky to have you.'_ Maggie is the first person she texts, because even though they've been through the ringer these past few weeks, Maggie is still the only person she feels like she can really have this conversation with. So she tells Maggie every single detail, and Maggie is so beyond ecstatic for her that she's nearly in tears herself. She isn't exactly sure if they're happy tears because Alex has a sister and a mother who love and support her no matter what, or if they're sad tears because she'll never know that feeling for herself. She doesn't mention that to Alex, though, instead typing _'Way to go, Danvers. I'm proud of you.'_

—

Months pass, and Alex and Maggie are as close as ever. They're at the alien bar playing pool at their usual table, and maybe Maggie has had a few too many drinks, because she keeps glancing at Alex's lips whenever she talks and licks her own subconsciously. If Alex notices, she doesn't give herself away.

But with each sip of liquid courage Maggie takes, she can feel her own resolve melting away piece by piece, and she isn't sure exactly how she ended up pinning Alex against the pool table, but she has, and having Alex's body so near her own feels electrifying. Alex stares back at Maggie with what looks like a mix of confusion and hope, and Maggie can't hold herself back anymore. She closes the distance and tastes Alex's lips again, and sighs into the kiss, and Alex's hands wrap around her neck. They spend the rest of the night entwined on that pool table. _Their_ pool table.

—

Maggie is all that Alex ever talks about to Kara and Eliza, and although they roll their eyes and tease Alex about it, they're glad to see her so happy.

They've been official for a month when Eliza not-so-casually suggests that Alex invite Maggie over for dinner. She insists that she just wants to hug the woman that puts such a radiant smile on her daughter's face, and although Alex turns completely red, she agrees to invite her over.

Although Maggie is a little on the quiet side throughout the dinner, she gets along famously with Kara and Eliza, and Alex can't stop smiling the entire time. Alex nudges her a few times to make sure she's okay, but all Maggie does is nod and smile at her before returning her attention to the rest of the Danvers family.

Eliza orders Kara and Alex to put the leftovers up and wash the dishes, and Maggie takes that moment to excuse herself. She tells Alex that she's just going to step outside for a minute, get some fresh air, and Alex looks worried but only nods. She manages to reach the elevator and step inside before she lets her composure crumble.

Maggie is so happy for Alex, but all she can think about when she sees the Danvers interacting with each other is the complete lack of her own family. She wills herself not to cry until she reaches the first floor and makes it outside. She collapses against the brick exterior of the building, breath coming in short puffs, when she hears the door open and looks up to see Eliza standing in front of her.

She doesn't like being vulnerable, though; Maggie has learned from years of experience to be tough and impenetrable. So she sucks in a breath and smiles at Eliza, only it doesn't fully reach her eyes. She thinks Eliza can tell, but she doesn't say anything, so Maggie leaves it be. _'Alex is really lucky to have a mother like you. Your support means the world to her.'_ Maggie settles on instead. She hopes that it's just enough to get Eliza talking about something else instead of poking and prodding into why Maggie is currently trying not to have a complete breakdown.

She knows she hasn't succeeded, though, when Eliza's smile turns sympathetic, and she murmurs a soft _'You didn't have that growing up, did you?'_ As soon as the words spill out of Eliza's mouth, Maggie breaks down in tears, because _no,_ she didn't, she had the furthest thing from that and she'll never know how that feels.

Except maybe she's not completely right about never knowing how that feels, because Eliza moves to wrap her up in her arms, cooing gentle phrases like _'It's okay, sweetheart,'_ and _'It'll all be okay,'_ and for the first time in almost fifteen years, she starts to believe it.

—

Eventually, it slips that Maggie's parents weren't supportive of her, and Alex can't stay mad at her for long. All she can do is kiss Maggie and wipe at the tears that spill down her cheeks as she recounts her true coming out experience to Alex.

Alex makes it a point to invite Maggie to dinner whenever Eliza finds herself in National City, and each time she goes, Eliza smiles knowingly at her, gives her a kiss on the cheek, and whispers _'Good to see you, dear.'_ Maggie nearly cries every single time.

And a few years later, when Alex announces at the dinner table that her and Maggie are engaged, Eliza pats Maggie's hand and says _'Welcome to the family, my daughter. Welcome home.'_


End file.
